At LS Mills, quality is a priority at every stage and the capability of producing yarn with lowest imperfections and higher strength adds to its competitive edge
From a vision born in 1979 in Theni, a small town in Tamil Nadu, LS Mills has established a strong presence in spinning, weaving and made-ups. The LS Mills’ empire is built on the bedrock of values – putting people first, scaling up to the next level of technology, and always being able to travel the extra mile for its clientele and associates. Headed by Chairman S Manivannan and his son Director Ashwin Nandha, LS Mills is managed by a team of qualified and experienced professionals. The group has consistently invested in technology, catering to the market demand while exploring new avenues of business and working on the entire value chain from cotton to the finished product of bed linen.
Products and Solutions
LS Mills’ spinning division specialises in producing yarn from 40s to 200s single-combed and compact in cotton of Indian, Egyptian, Supima, BCI and organic varieties. Consistent technology upgrades have equipped the mill to produce yarn with specialty fibres such as Tencel™, modal, linen and regenerated hemp. The company’s weaving division is well-facilitated with Tsudakoma air jet looms and the world’s fastest models of ZAX Neo 001 which can run up to 900 rpm in wider width. Based on customer requirements, sateen, percale, twill and dobby are woven from 200 to 1,500 thread count. The made-ups division empowered by women specialises in producing various categories of bed linen for supply to the US and UK markets. The recent focus of the company is on producing bed linen in sustainable fibres and various finishes like NanoTex®, antimicrobial and holistic health and wellness finishes in view of the present pandemic situation.
Setting New Benchmarks
According to Manivannan, the company’s spinning division takes pride in the fact that it is running the 26,300 rpm highest speed spindle in the world. Such high speed enables the company to produce 151 grams per spindle in 40s conversion along with the added benefit of lowest UKG. He also adds that the weaving division is challenging itself to produce the highest thread count in the world. “It is recognised for consistently weaving 1,000 TC in 7 | 1 sateen instead of 4 | 1 sateen,” Manivannan states. The company’s key customers in India are all corporates and its global clientele includes BBB, Macys, Big Lots and Belks.
Competitive Edge
At LS Mills, quality is a priority at every stage and the capability of producing yarn with lowest imperfections and higher strength adds to its competitive edge. The weaving division has an edge as it focuses on weaving versatility and producing grey by utilising different fibre. The company’s present turnover is Rs 700 crore with an EBIDTA of 18%, holding a credit rating of A+. A total of 3,067 employees comprising 1,206 males and 1,861 females are employed by the company.
Sustainability Focus
LS Mills is known for its focus on sustainability. In 2019 the company was nominated to participate in PAT and has successfully completed and achieved beyond its set target. To encourage green energy it has installed windmills that produce 11.15 megawatts of power. To make the company 100% self-sustained in power utilisation, a recent addition has been the installation of a 36 megawatts’ solar plant.
Automation Initiatives
With respect to adopting automation, LS Mills has installed compact automatic doffers along with an automatic waste collection system, automatic bobbin transport system and automatic link coner machine. It has also implemented the SAP system for collecting all machine production, power and end breakage data through digitalisation.
Future Plans
The future growth plan of LS Mills is to expand and modernise the existing facility for cotton yarn and bed linen production. The vision is to evolve into a vertically integrated entity, consistently investing in technology and adopting sustainable measures. “Innovation will be the key to lead the group forward, be it initiatives or in exploring different possibilities. This is made possible by creating a free-spirited work culture, allowing people to nurture creativity,” Manivannan says.
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“So far as spinning is concerned, the company’s present capacity is 1,18,000 spindles with the latest machinery from KTTM, Suessen, Rieter and Muratec QPRO. In the current year, the spinning division has added 22,000 spindles from KTTM and modernised 30,000 spindles from Rieter. Weaving is well-equipped with preparatory machines from Benninger and Karl Mayer. The air jet looms from Tsudakoma produce 25,000 metres per day. With respect to made-ups, the sewing division has the capacity to produce 10,000 sheet sets per day utilising the INA Hanger system and quality sewing machines from Brother and Pegasus. The unit is 100% compliant for social and security holding certifications of Wrap, CTPAT and SA8000.”
– S Manivannan, Chairman